Molly Miller wants to make a statement.
The Los Feliz resident mentors budding musicians as a guitar professor at USC.
She chose an unconventional venue called Motivo for her release party for The Ballad of Hotspur on Saturday, May 4th.
“We do things a little differently,” Miller said. “I use the space where they did their show. It’s a beautiful space, but it’s often used for tango dancing.
“We're playing in the middle of the room. We're going to play more unreleased songs that we've written. We're going to have a mixologist in there. It feels intimate.”
This instrumental Americana jazz album takes on a surf rock tinge, showcasing Miller's creative phrasing and genre fusion. The trio creates a sonic landscape that sounds like Ennio Morricone's Quentin Tarantino-esque western score, with an avant-garde, intense guitar and drum mix reminiscent of legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. Even the performance is depicted.
The concept of the Molly Miller Trio was to create music that the three of us could feel fulfilled when performing live.
Creating “The Ballad of Hotspur” was a natural process for the trio. She usually doesn't force a song.
“I just try to write music and really express what's happening in the moment,” she said. “It was fun, it was really fun, and it was therapeutic. In its fully realized form, the songs are fun, therapeutic, evocative, and cathartic.”
long time jazz fan
Miller was the middle of five children and started playing music with his siblings. They dabbled in Top 40, jazz, rock, and garage. Music was a big part of Miller's life.
“Before, it was like pulling teeth to practice,” she said. “I just wanted to be sociable. In high school, I had my own drive.
“It became clearer that this is what I want to do with my life. It's not just a career. It's a lifestyle choice, too. I decided to make that commitment.”
She attended a music summer camp, which solidified her career choice.
Miller became interested in jazz in high school and continued his love for the genre through his studies at the University of Southern California. There she earned her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees.
A few weeks after graduating in 2016, Jason Mraz invited Miller to play with him. That same year, she became chair of the guitar department at the Los Angeles College of Music. Since then, she has balanced her playing and teaching, and in 2022 she became the USC Studio Her Guitar Professor.
“I love teaching,” the South Bay native said. “I started teaching him at 16 and got his first car. I thought, 'I really like this.' USC students are very talented. It's really exciting for me to work with delinquent students who will lead the future. ”
history lesson
The Ballad of Hotspur takes its name from a character in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I, based on Sir Henry Percy, a 14th-century English knight who fought in numerous battles against France during the Hundred Years' War. .
He was given the nickname “Hotspur” for his advance speed and attack preparation. The album was written during the pandemic with tracks sent back and forth to capture the dynamic energy of the group's live shows, and was brought to Valentine Studios in Los Angeles after more than a year in the making, with all songs completed in two days. was recorded.
Miller and the trio will headline shows through May, then open for Jason Mraz for the rest of the summer. Miller will do double duty, opening for Mraz and playing with his band.
“I’m excited about everything about summer,” Miller said.
“I play guitar in my apartment and go with the flow. I'm lucky. Jason's band has a few guys in the rhythm section who accompany me.
“I feel very lucky to be able to do what I love. It's not just about showing up. It's about having a sense of self and purpose.”
